Don't want to pack Tux & Gowns !

[travl2day]

We are currently booked on the X Summit in October (Med Cruise) and love the itinerary however concerned about brining all that extra luggage. We are tempted to go to Oceania because of the "Country Club Casual" attire for the full 14 days. We are much more comfortable in a polo type shirt, blouses, and dress slacks. We may also consider Princess and use their "Anytime Dining" option; it seems to be less formal. I think HAL also has something like that.???

 

On X we know that we must "dress appropriately" to eat in the dining room (and will if we stay with them). But we just really aren't looking foward to packing the tux, the formal shoes, dressees, etc? It's a vacation for us; we don't want it to be more work than it has to be :D

 

Looking for suggestions -

1) Rent his formal wear - pack mine

2) Bring it all from home and stop whining

3) Change to another cruise line

LOVE TO HEAR YOUR IDEAS! - THANKS IN ADVANCE:p

[spearmint]

We are currently booked on the X Summit in October (Med Cruise) and love the itinerary however concerned about brining all that extra luggage. We are tempted to go to Oceania because of the "Country Club Casual" attire for the full 14 days. We are much more comfortable in a polo type shirt, blouses, and dress slacks. We may also consider Princess and use their "Anytime Dining" option; it seems to be less formal. I think HAL also has something like that.???

 

On X we know that we must "dress appropriately" to eat in the dining room (and will if we stay with them). But we just really aren't looking foward to packing the tux, the formal shoes, dressees, etc? It's a vacation for us; we don't want it to be more work than it has to be :D

 

Looking for suggestions -

1) Rent his formal wear - pack mine

2) Bring it all from home and stop whining

3) Change to another cruise line

LOVE TO HEAR YOUR IDEAS! - THANKS IN ADVANCE:p

 

He can wear a dark suit and you do not have to wear a long gown. We have not yet cruised the Mediterranean, and I will be interested to read what 'seasoned' cruisers have to say.That being said, when we do cruise the area, we will be bringing tux and gown, but that's because we love to dress up for dinner on board (which is why we chose Celebrity in the first place).:)

[ECCruise]

We are currently booked on the X Summit in October (Med Cruise) and love the itinerary however concerned about brining all that extra luggage. We are tempted to go to Oceania because of the "Country Club Casual" attire for the full 14 days. We are much more comfortable in a polo type shirt, blouses, and dress slacks. We may also consider Princess and use their "Anytime Dining" option; it seems to be less formal. I think HAL also has something like that.???

 

On X we know that we must "dress appropriately" to eat in the dining room (and will if we stay with them). But we just really aren't looking foward to packing the tux, the formal shoes, dressees, etc? It's a vacation for us; we don't want it to be more work than it has to be :D

 

Looking for suggestions -

1) Rent his formal wear - pack mine

2) Bring it all from home and stop whining

3) Change to another cruise line

LOVE TO HEAR YOUR IDEAS! - THANKS IN ADVANCE:p

 

We've sailed Celebrity, Oceania, Princess in the Med. Here are a couple of takes.

 

1) Princess anytime relates to time only: You can dine anytime you want. Formal nights are still formal nights in all dining rooms (except the buffet). You do not, however, have an "informal" night to deal with like on Celebrity...all other nights are casual.

 

2) If the price is anywhere close, Oceania is a no brainer for us (although with their popularity that is becoming more of an issue). Far prefer the country club casual approach but Oceania is much more than that...the food, their total approach, level of service, etc., etc.

 

3) If we do Celebrity, Cathy brings light formal clothes and I rent a tux. Still have to deal with a jacket for informal nights but, going forward, will probably jettison that in Europe with pre-and post cruise travel and more restrictive luggage rules.

 

Hope this helps!

[LMKohler]

I would investigate renting the tux or as a previous poster suggested have him bring a dark suit that way you have formal and informal nights covered. I don't wear "gowns" on formal nights. I pack black chifon palazzo (sp?) pants with different beaded tops -- it is easier to pack.

 

Having said that we just returned from 14 days on Azamara Quest and absolutely loved the country club casual dress and didn't miss the formal and informal nights at all.

[agabbymama]

You can rent ladies formal wear also, not just men's tux, if you really don't want to pack it.

 

I for one wouldn't give up the formal night. I think it is an integral part of the voyage. I go to work country casual everyday, that's nothing special. A vacation for me is a break from the norm. There is very little I do, that I have to get dressed up for. Our ladies club does do teas about 4 times a year, so that's fun to dress up for, but other than that, it's pant suits, skirts and tops, more casual dress every day.

 

HAL is just as formal as Celebrity, the any time dining only refers to the time, not the dress.

 

If you really want casual dress, then maybe you are right and Celebrity isn't the line for you. As others have posted Oceana and Azamura may be more to your liking. As you state, it is your vacation, so you have to make the choice.

[iheartbda]

You can rent ladies formal wear also, not just men's tux, if you really don't want to pack it.

 

 

The woman's choices are dreadful, not much more than a few tops, black pants or long black skirt.

Chiffon type pants or skirt and a dressy top or two take up very little room. Even my long gowns don't take up much space.

 

Rent his, take yours.:)

[alwayshappytocruise]

We ordered a tux for DH (fit perfectly) and I took two long dresses in a garment bag along with a suit and sports jacket for DH. I made sure not to overdo the shoes this time!! We got by with one large suitcase, one garment bag and one carry on.

[jt1120]

Looking for suggestions -

1) Rent his formal wear - pack mine

2) Bring it all from home and stop whining

3) Change to another cruise line

LOVE TO HEAR YOUR IDEAS! - THANKS IN ADVANCE:p

 

I like versions one and two. Three is out of the question. After all, it IS a cruise, and it sounds like it will be a memorable one. You'll shoot yourself later for not packing formal wear.

[Peteymil]

You could go to the casual dining, and skip the formal attire.

[hylasgirl]

You could go to the casual dining, and skip the formal attire.

 

I wouldn't skip the dining room at all. That is one of the best parts of the day:) Just figure out some nice clothes you can mix and match for dinner. I have been on many cruises where tuxes aren't necessary... either bring a suit for all, or rent a tux on board (do it WAY before hand). My friend does this for her DH and it works perfectly. I am usually a big fan of formal nights and the attire, but our next Celebrity cruise we are doing some traveling in between the European cruise and coming home by train, and I am not lugging all that everywhere we go this time. It is going to be a lot less complicated...

 

Question... will they turn you away at dinner time if you are only in a shirt and tie for formal and informal nights??

[Cybercsp]

On our recent Century cruise, for the first time in 14 cruises, we opted out of formal night and had a delicious dinner in the casual dining area. The food (at least that evening) was as good as what we have been served in the dining room (different selections). I would not hesitate to do it again. For the informal night, my husband wore a white dres shirt and black trousers. We would have not have been upset had we been turned away for lack of his jacket/tie. It seems he was better dressed than many of the other men admitted.

[fleckle]

Another option: If you don't want to dress up to go to the dining room on formal nights, remember that you can order anything and everything you want from the dining room menu and have it delivered to your cabin.

 

On our last cruise we were not in the mood to get dressed up and go sit in the noisy dining room for a drawn out two-hour meal on the last formal night. Yet we did not want to miss the lobster dinner. So we enjoyed the full lobster dinner in peace and quiet out on our balcony. With the wonderful ambiance of the fresh air and scenery, it turned out to be our favorite meal of the entire cruise. It felt almost like dining on our own private yacht,

 

If you have a suite, your butler will serve the meal to you one course at a time. If you are not in a suite, the entire meal arrives at once, but everything comes in separate covered dishes so the hot foods stay hot until you are ready to eat them.

[babylene]

We are going to start packing this weekend and already my DH is squacking. I promised him that this will be the last time. With all the new luggage rules, it probably will. I do not take paying extra for luggage lightly! I just hope there are bellmen and porters to Shlep the bags for us.

[Napi's Mom]

I would investigate renting the tux or as a previous poster suggested have him bring a dark suit that way you have formal and informal nights covered. I don't wear "gowns" on formal nights. I pack black chifon palazzo (sp?) pants with different beaded tops -- it is easier to pack.

 

Having said that we just returned from 14 days on Azamara Quest and absolutely loved the country club casual dress and didn't miss the formal and informal nights at all.

Welcome back...I really wish WE were back on the Quest for our upcoming NZ/ Aussie cruise. The Snobbish stuff about formal wear is really wearing on me..plus the fuss over it being unclassy to have a laundomat etc etc. From what I've read the service on Azamara and Oceania is far "classier" and is done without formal nights, and demanding people wear formal ALL night all over the ship. Formal night really steps in to show class differences, as many can not afford the designer clothes, and dress in what to them is formal and is sadly lacking in "Class". Informal clothing is much less class revealing, plus makes for a far more relaxed vacation!:D

[Bruin Steve]

Okay, first note that we've cruised Europe with Celebrity AND with Oceania and we have future cruises coming up with both Celebrity and Oceania in Europe...

 

I actually prefer Celebrity...better price, value, entertainment...But I do like Oceania's "no formal nights" and great food...but really choose by the itinerary more than anything else...

 

Here's what I do for Celebrity: Though I own my own Tuxedo, I don't bring it...I rent one through the ship's contractor for a mere $99 or so (tux and shoes)...That way I don't have to take up the room in my luggage and don't have to send it to be dry cleaned when I get home...For that cost, it's clearly worth it...

 

As for my wife, "rented gowns" would be out of the question...But what I'd tell the women is this: Choose your formal night attire carefully...There is a wide range of things that will pass as "formal"...Try the very simple "basic black dress"...Figure to wear it more than once, maybe accessorized differently...people really don't care...Pick stuff that's lightweight and doesn't wrinkle much...and that all go with the same pair of basic shoes...It all shouldn't take up any more room or be that much more difficult than the "casual" outfits you'd pack instead...

 

The real key to all of this is that the airlines restrict luggage weight...You just want to pack smart...

 

For the "informal" nights, I just bring along a lightweight sportsjacket that matches my otherwise casual clothes...it works...

[marle7]

I take one formal dress and wear it to both or all three formal nights. No one is going to care that you're wearing the same dress three times. I might have different accessories though. I try to match the colour of my formal dress to my other dresses/evening wear so that I only have to take one pair of dress shoes as well. My husband usually packs his tux, but he's kind of particular about what he wears, so don't take that as gospel.:D

[Kini12]

I couldn't agree with you more, it's as though you were reading my mind.

Thanks for posting OUR thoughts. Janey

[junglejane]

We're going to the Med in June on a 12 day cruise. DH is going to rent a tux and pack a sport coat for informal nights. I'm going to take my "little black dress" and a lightweight tea length black skirt (from the Chicos Travelers line) along with a dressy top. We may skip the 3rd formal night and go to the casual dining that night. Definitely no ball gowns or heavy beaded stuff on this cruise!

 

I do wish Celebrity would do away with informal nights, though.

 

--Junglejane

[amagar]

Hi,

 

We went on our 7th cruise in February...and, for the first time, planned -- and did -- skip formal nights. Why? We were sticking around in Florida post-cruise and didn't have the space for everything we needed.

 

To our delight, we discovered the casual dining Celebrity offers. Excellent food. We thought it was much better than dining room because the meals are cooked to order. And service was also excellent. Servers are learning the ropes, so they might not be as experienced...but they make up for it by trying even harder to please.

 

Additionally, few people take advantage of casual dining...and, on the M-Class ships, it's set up aft, just inside from a bar that's open until midnight. Hard to beat a night with sweetie at dinner...and then a drink aft under the stars. Sometimes we'd hit the casino later (where dress code doesn't apply).

 

Also, here's a tip -- the aqua spa pool area clears out formal evening. You can have it to yourself. Then book late casual dining. Voila! Private space on a ship packed with people.

[Coreopsis]

I haven't read all the posts - I am sure there is some great advice in there. But I suspect you've also got some advice from those who interpret the rules about formal wear as if we should be dressing for the Oscars.

 

We did the Med last summer and I promise the vast minority were in tuxes and gowns. I am talking handful. It may be vocal majority here - but you do NOT need to feel it is required and you will NOT feel out of place in any way, shape or form. Nor will you be turned away - the newsletter thingy on the ship will tell you what is acceptable. Dress as you would to go to any fine restaurant 4+ stars.

 

Here's our plan for formal nights:

 

DH wears a travel sportcoat on the plane (LL Bean has a nifty one)

DH brings dark suit (or dark sportcoat and slacks)

mix and match - however he could get by with just one dark jacket.

Same pair of shoes (so not fair, men have it easy)

 

Me? I am bringing cocktail attire. Some mix/match but my cruisemates will likely see something very familiar after the first formal night :) I bring a few different wraps, a little bling and different shoes. My informal and formal are very similar - it is my accessories that change.

 

I wish they would only have one formal night (for 7 day cruise) and change the rest to cocktail attire - jacket for men, dressy outfit for women. I know - saying this on this Board I will be treated like the anti-Christ. One formal night would mean it would really be special . . . more than that on a 1 week is just silly, IMHO.

[hylasgirl]

I love the formal nights also... so please don't tar and feather me... but, will they turn you away in the dining room if you are not in a jacket?? Either night??? Formal or informal??? I am not going to casual dining or eating in my room...no matter how nice or good it is, so I was wondering if anyone was aware if it was OK if my DH came to the dining room on informal night in JUST a shirt and tie?? He has a tux, and he is going to bring it, and he will wear it happily for all 3 formal nights... but we are NOT bringing another jacket. That is just crazy crazy!!! With this next European cruise, we are spending too much time before and after the cruise to bring all the extras... My father HAD to put a jacket on, that was given to him by the maitre d', on Holland America in December. That is the first time I have EVER seen that.

[Coreopsis]

I think he may be turned away - jacket is required (i think) , he can do without the tie on informal nights and still get away with it.

 

Maybe bring a dark suit instead of the tux - then he can wear the same jacket on informal nights?

[travl2day]

WOW! Lot's of great ideas and strong opinions. Thanks to everyone for their comments. Still no decision yet; :confused: but definately more informed!

Thanks so much!

[Putterdude]

DW brings a number of items that she can dress up or down for the various dinners. I bring my tux for formal evenings and a blazer, slacks and tie for the others. I know I could get away with the blazer on the formal evenings but feel that dressing up for dinner is one of the traditions of cruising and part of the magic of the cruising experience. If it costs a few bucks for the extra suitcase ....well so be it, it is the cruise that is the expensive part not the bag cost.

[Denny01]

Read a number of comments, and agree with not missing the formal nights. I've taken a Tux before, but we are cutting back more and more, so I'm taking a Dark Suit and one sports jacket - just as someone recommended earlier. We were on the Mercury in Nov 07 for the Wine Cruises and the great majority of men wore suits, some wore sports jackets with sweaters underneath. I'm going with a good shirt for the dark suit (formal night) and a light jacket with sweaters and no-tie shirts for informal.

 

We are cruising on the Infinity 04 Jan 09 from Buenos Aires to Valpariso for our next Celebrity. We just got off a Princess - loved it but missed some of the niceties of Celebrity so we are coming back. As to Oceana, it looks very nice, but there a major cost differences for any of the cruises that I've compared to Celebrity. So I'd recommend not worrying about a Tux (bring or rent) and go with a Dark suit and bring a light sports jacket also and you'd be set and won't feel underdressed.

 

My wife goes with cocktail outfits including nice pants outfits and fits in just fine.

 

Denny